Borrowed Time
by Inuchron
Summary: Al comes to the realisation that Ed isn't as immortal as he wants people to think, and all because of a pair of glasses. Spoiler for COS.


Hi there everyone!

Sorry i didn't get anything up last weekend, i was suddenly attacked by Saiyuki and found myself watching all three series' in a major anime marathon which didn't leave much time to write stuff. SORRY!!!

Anyway, a new story now. Woot!

WARNING! There are spoilers for the FMA movie Conquerer of Shamballa, so if you haven't seen it, don't flame me for spoiling anything. It was your choice to read.

On that positive note, Enjoy!

* * *

BORROWED TIME

The bustle of the busy German street was a cacophony of noise and the two brothers had to walk close together to avoid getting separated. "I don't see why I have to go through with this Al, I can get by without them." Ed grumbled.

"Don't lie brother, you can barely read the road signs." Al retorted and had to stifle a giggle when he caught his brother squinting at the small map in his hand.

"Yeah, well…I still say this is a waste of time." Ed folded the map with a sign and ran his flesh hand through his prematurely greying hair. "Where the hell are we?" He growled. Al smiled at his brother.

"Here, let me have the map." Ed grudgingly handed Al the flimsy paper and waited impatiently for his brother to read it, tapping his foot on the pebbled ground. "Ah, we're almost there, just round this corner."

The shop was tiny and filled from floor to ceiling with various displays. The gangways between them were so small, even Edward was having a hard time getting through without knocking something. Eventually, the brothers made it to the polished counter.

A small woman with flame red hair and soft brown eyes stared at the two of them before giving a small welcoming smile. "Hello gentlemen, what can I do for you today?" her voice was as soft as her eyes, and had a comforting motherly tone. There was a small silence and Ed shuffled embarrassedly.

"Were here for him" Al pointed to Ed. "He needs glasses." He supplied when he realised his brother was refusing to speak. Ed gave a small affirmative nod when the woman looked at him.

"Well now, would you like to choose your glasses from the display? We have lots today, just got a shipment in." The woman managed to squeeze past the brothers and led a protesting Edward by the hand to a rack of glasses. "Go on, don't be shy dear, try some on, and find a pair you like." Ed gave another glance towards Al before training his eyes on the display rack.

Al started when the red haired woman mysteriously appeared beside him. "Your father is very handsome." She giggled. Al gaped at her open mouthed for a second before giving a short sniffle of laughter.

"He's not my dad, he's my brother." The woman looked shocked.

"My my, the years haven't been good to him, have they?" the woman tutted and shook her head, wandering back to her counter. Al watched her go, then looked back to his brother.

_She's right, _Al thought._ The years haven't been kind to you brother._

Just looking at him, Al knew it was true. The fights Ed had been in had all left their mark. Scars littered his arm and torso, as well as one on his forehead, standing out starkly against tanned skin that was now slowly fading back to white. Wrinkles had appeared on Ed's forehead from the stress he had suffered during his years searching for the stone and the noticeable patches of grey mottling his golden blonde hair were another testament. Ed's golden eyes were also tired, though that familiar determined spark was still there, refusing to be put out no matter what life threw at him.

Al also knew that Ed's automail was in desperate need of a tune up, having rusted a fair amount due to lack of oil in Germany. He knew it was only a matter of time before the metal eventually gave way and his brother would no longer be able to support himself. _What about the prosthetics he had before?_ Al had thought once, but then remembered it had been their father who had built them and he was now dead, sacrificed to the gate along with Envy.

_Brother…he's slowly breaking down. _It was a horrible thought to have, but it was true. _It's not fair…it's just not fair._ All the bad stuff happened to Ed.

It was times like this that Al was reminded all to vividly that Ed was not immortal, and was much more fragile than he let people know. _In just a few years…our adventures will have to stop because Ed won't be strong enough to continue. He's getting…old. _It was a strange way to think of his brother. Old was a word reserved for people like Pinako and the Colonel, but it was a sad fact, Ed _was_ getting old. In the time Ed had spent alone in the machine world, he'd aged 5 years while Al stayed the same. The Gate was cruel indeed.

"Al…AL!" Ed's frantic waving and shouts broke Al's revere. "What d'you think?" A pair of wire rimmed spectacles perched on Ed's nose. They were thin and rectangular, and the shiny brass of the wire brought out the gold in his eyes.

"They look good on you brother." Al smiled, trying to wash away the thoughts eating away at him. Ed gave him a look, then perched the glasses on his head.

"Are you sure? You aren't just saying that because you're bored are you?"

"No! I'm sure. How many have you tried on?" Ed turned away and coughed.

"…One…"

"Brother!" Al yelled in exasperation.

"I don't see why I have to try a load on! Glasses are glasses! They're all the same to me!" Ed folded his arms and slipped the glasses on again. "And these suit me just fine. It's not like I'll be wearing them all the time."

Al sighed. Sometimes there was no way of dealing with Ed apart from just sit back and watch. "Fine brother, hurry up and buy them. I'm hungry."

"HA! I knew you were bored!" Ed grinned and bounced up to the woman behind the counter.

"I said I was _hungry_, not bored."

"Hungry…bored…same difference."

"That'll be 1500 marks dear." The woman interjected.

"Wow, this inflation is getting worse and worse. I wonder if it'll ever stop…"

Leaving Ed to pay for his glasses, Al stepped outside and leant against the shop window. The oppressive gloom of the economic depression covered the street and the feelings of war were beginning to stir. _It's only a matter of time before there's another war. Germany's just living on borrowed time for now. Kind of like us…_

"Come on Al! This is the second time you've spaced out on me! I thought you said you were hungry!" Ed gave Al's arm a brotherly punch and placed his newly brought glasses atop his head before walking quickly towards the nearest café. Al laughed loudly. "You never change brother."

After he said that, he stopped. _That's right, his physical appearance can change, but he's still brother…maybe, there's more time for adventure than I thought?_

"AL! HURRY UP OR I'LL EAT YOUR SHARE TOO!" Al snapped to and ran to his where his brother stood outside the café. "Sorry brother!" he smiled. Ed gave him another funny look before charging inside.

Outside, the threatening clouds of war were closing in, but Al ignored them.

_Like the world, we're just living on borrowed time…but maybe, that's enough?_

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There we go, all done. 

I'm really sorry if this isn't up to the standard i've set myself, but i've always noticed i can do one or two good pieces, then all inspiration leaves me. A sad fact indeed. There's also the fact that i finished this at 1.30am last night ¬¬

Anyways, this doesn't come into any particular time so just enjoy it and again, any facts that aren't to do with FMA may or may not be true, so don't go basing any scientific papers on this stuff.

Hope you enjoyed this little flight of fancy, and if you did then REVIEW! It keeps me alive

Inuchron

(P.S. These authors notes are getting longer and longer ')


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